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Tropical Storm Olivia (2006)
Tropical Storm Olivia was the 19th tropical cyclone and 16th named storm of the 2006 Pacific hurricane season. Olivia formed as a tropical depression on October 9 about to the west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Tracking northeastward and attaining tropical storm status, it failed to strengthen significantly due to wind shear. Olivia weakened to tropical depression status on October 11, and turning to the east-southeast it degenerated into a remnant low on October 13. Its remnants were later absorbed by a larger disturbance that included the remnants of Norman. Because the storm remained away at sea for its entire duration, no effects on land were reported. Meteorological history On September 18, 2006, a tropical wave emerged from the west coast of Africa and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Minor flareups in convection occurred while the storm was passing to the south of the Cape Verde Islands. The wave proceeded westward, crossing northern South America, and on September 29 the wave crossed into the eastern Pacific. Gradually, convection increased, and a broad low pressure area developed along the wave axis on October 5. Thunderstorm activity continued to increase, and Dvorak classifications were initiated on October 7. Moderate wind shear prevented the convective activity from persisting for more than a few hours, which initially prevented the low from organizing further. However, as the low pressure system tracked westward, the convection developed into a curved banding feature in the northern semicircle. It is estimated that the system organized into a tropical depression at 1800 UTC on October 9, while located to the west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. The depression began drifting towards the northwest, influenced by the steering currents of a high pressure system. Later on October 9, the deep convection associated with the system became less organized, and the coverage of cold cloud tops diminished. However, as wind shear was not expected to immediately increase significantly, short-term intensification of the storm was forecast. Early on October 10 the depression became slightly better organized, with a burst of deep convection to the north of the center. The storm maintained deep convection over and near the center for 6–9 hours, and at 0600 UTC on October 9, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Olivia. Six hours after being upgraded to a tropical storm, Olivia attained peak winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). However, due to fairly strong wind shear, deep convection was limited to the northern semicircle of the circulation on October 10. The shear began to significantly affected Olivia on October 11; the convective activity diminished, and cloud tops warmed. Due to the disorganization, the system was downgraded to a tropical depression by 1200 UTC. The convection became displaced from the center of circulation, and by later on October 11, the storm degenerated into "a swirl of low clouds with no active convection". After turning towards the east, intermittent bursts of convection re-formed near the center, thus prompting forecasters at the National Hurricane Center to maintain advisories on the system. There was a possibility that Olivia would re-strengthen if it survived long enough to reach an area with warmer sea surface temperatures and lower wind shear, although it deteriorated into a remnant low on October 13. The remnant low moved towards the east-southeast, and on October 15 it was absorbed into the remnants of Tropical Storm Norman; the interaction may have been responsible for Norman's re-intensification into a tropical cyclone. Impact and naming Because Olivia remained away from land, no effects, property damage, or fatalities were reported. Also, no ships were affected, and no tropical cyclone warnings and watches were issued. Due to the lack of any impact, [[Olivia|the name Olivia]] was not retired, and is scheduled to be reused during the 2012 Pacific hurricane season. References Category:Wikipedia Archives